Louisiana ranks among top 5 most overweight states in the US, report says

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and a new study shows that Louisiana continues to struggle with high rates of obesity and related health problems.

According to a report from WalletHub, Louisiana is the 4th most overweight and obese state in the country. The study looked at factors like diet, exercise, and health conditions across all 50 states.

Here’s how Louisiana ranked in several major categories:

• 4th in percentage of obese adults.
• 3rd in the percentage of obese children.
• 5th in physically inactive adults.
• 9th in adults with high cholesterol.
• 1st in adults eating fewer than one serving of fruits or vegetables per day.
• 3rd in adults with Type 2 diabetes.
• 3rd in adults with hypertension.

WalletHub said obesity costs the U.S. healthcare system about $173 billion every year. The Associated Press reports that the number of states with rates of obesity of 35% or more has dropped for the first time in a decade.

Top 5 most overweight states, according to WalletHub

1. West Virginia
2. Mississippi
3. Arkansas
4. Louisiana
5. Alabama

“While losing weight largely hinges on whether an individual chooses to eat healthy foods, limit their calorie intake and exercise consistently, certain states make shedding the pounds easier than others,” said WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo.

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